Campaigns to legalize marijuana in Michigan can move forward

A couple of groups hoping to legalize marijuana in 2016 have a green light to move forward.

A state elections board signed off on each group’s petition language Thursday. They can now begin collecting signatures.

Jeff Hank is with the MI Legalize campaign. His group is made up of marijuana activists. His group bills itself as the one with the most expertise on the issue.

“Everyone on our team and on our board has run all the major decriminalization efforts in Michigan,” Hank said.

The other group – the Michigan Cannabis Coalition – has not disclosed who its members are.

Matt Marsden is with the Michigan Cannabis Coalition. His group would leave it up to state lawmakers to set the tax rate and some regulations.

“I think that we have a perfectly capable group of individuals that are currently elected and are perfectly capable of deciding what a fair tax rate is to establish on an agricultural product,” Marsden said.

Both campaigns can now begin collecting petition signatures. They are among at least three groups hoping to legalize marijuana in 2016.

Related Content

State Rep. Brandon Dillon says we should "legalize, regulate, and tax" marijuana in Michigan.

As state lawmakers search for ways to come up with the money needed to fix Michigan’s battered and bumpy roads, one state representative tossed out this idea: Legalize and tax marijuana, and then put that new revenue to work.

State Rep. Brandon Dillon, D-Grand Rapids, joins us today to talk about this idea.